 |  |  |  |  |  |
|
| Introduction | Korea, North |
|
Background:
|
| An independent kingdom for much of its long history, Korea was occupied by Japan in 1905 following the Russo-Japanese War. Five years later, Japan formally annexed the entire peninsula. Following World War II, Korea was split with the northern half coming under Soviet-sponsored Communist domination. After failing in the Korean War (1950-53) to conquer the US-backed Republic of Korea (ROK) in the southern portion by force, North Korea (DPRK), under its founder President KIM Il Sung, adopted a policy of ostensible diplomatic and economic "self-reliance" as a check against excessive Soviet or Communist Chinese influence. The DPRK demonized the US as the ultimate threat to its social system through state-funded propaganda, and molded political, economic, and military policies around the core ideological objective of eventual unification of Korea under Pyongyang's control. KIM's son, the current ruler KIM Jong Il, was officially designated as his father's successor in 1980, assuming a growing political and managerial role until the elder KIM's death in 1994. After decades of economic mismanagement and resource misallocation, the DPRK since the mid-1990s has relied heavily on international aid to feed its population while continuing to expend resources to maintain an army of approximately 1 million. North Korea's history of regional military provocations, proliferation of military-related items, and long-range missile development - as well as its nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons programs and massive conventional armed forces - are of major concern to the international community. In December 2002, following revelations that the DPRK was pursuing a nuclear weapons program based on enriched uranium in violation of a 1994 agreement with the US to freeze and ultimately dismantle its existing plutonium-based program, North Korea expelled monitors from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). In January 2003, it declared its withdrawal from the international Non-Proliferation Treaty. In mid-2003 Pyongyang announced it had completed the reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel rods (to extract weapons-grade plutonium) and was developing a "nuclear deterrent." Beginning in August 2003, North Korea, China, Japan, Russia, South Korea, and the US have participated in the Six-Party Talks aimed at resolving the stalemate over the DPRK's nuclear programs. North Korea pulled out of the talks in November 2005. It test-fired ballistic missiles in July 2006 and conducted a nuclear test in October 2006. North Korea returned to the Six-Party Talks in December 2006 and subsequently signed two agreements on denuclearization. The 13 February 2007 Initial Actions Agreement shut down the North's nuclear facilities at Yongbyon in July 2007. In the 3 October 2007 Second Phase Actions Agreement, Pyongyang pledged to disable those facilities and provide a correct and complete declaration of its nuclear programs. Under the supervision of US nuclear experts, North Korean personnel completed a number of agreed-upon disablement actions at the three core facilities at the Yongbyon nuclear complex by the end of 2007. North Korea also began the discharge of spent fuel rods in December 2007, but it did not provide a declaration of its nuclear programs by the end of the year. |
| Geography | Korea, North |
|
Location:
|
| Eastern Asia, northern half of the Korean Peninsula bordering the Korea Bay and the Sea of Japan, between China and South Korea |
|
Geographic coordinates:
|
| 40 00 N, 127 00 E |
|
Map references:
|
| Asia |
|
Area:
|
|
total: 120,540 sq km
land: 120,410 sq km water: 130 sq km |
|
Area - comparative:
|
| slightly smaller than Mississippi |
|
Land boundaries:
|
|
total: 1,673 km
border countries: China 1,416 km, South Korea 238 km, Russia 19 km |
|
Coastline:
|
| 2,495 km |
|
Maritime claims:
|
|
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm note: military boundary line 50 nm in the Sea of Japan and the exclusive economic zone limit in the Yellow Sea where all foreign vessels and aircraft without permission are banned |
|
Climate:
|
| temperate with rainfall concentrated in summer |
|
Terrain:
|
| mostly hills and mountains separated by deep, narrow valleys; coastal plains wide in west, discontinuous in east |
|
Elevation extremes:
|
|
lowest point: Sea of Japan 0 m
highest point: Paektu-san 2,744 m |
|
Natural resources:
|
| coal, lead, tungsten, zinc, graphite, magnesite, iron ore, copper, gold, pyrites, salt, fluorspar, hydropower |
|
Land use:
|
|
arable land: 22.4%
permanent crops: 1.66% other: 75.94% (2005) |
|
Irrigated land:
|
| 14,600 sq km (2003) |
|
Total renewable water resources:
|
| 77.1 cu km (1999) |
|
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
|
|
total: 9.02 cu km/yr (20%/25%/55%)
per capita: 401 cu m/yr (2000) |
|
Natural hazards:
|
| late spring droughts often followed by severe flooding; occasional typhoons during the early fall |
|
Environment - current issues:
|
| water pollution; inadequate supplies of potable water; waterborne disease; deforestation; soil erosion and degradation |
|
Environment - international agreements:
|
|
party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Environmental Modification, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea |
|
Geography - note:
|
| strategic location bordering China, South Korea, and Russia; mountainous interior is isolated and sparsely populated |
| People | Korea, North |
|
Population:
|
| 23,479,088 (July 2008 est.) |
|
Age structure:
|
|
0-14 years: 22.9% (male 2,733,352/female 2,654,186)
15-64 years: 68.2% (male 7,931,484/female 8,083,626) 65 years and over: 8.8% (male 751,401/female 1,325,040) (2008 est.) |
|
Median age:
|
|
total: 32.7 years
male: 31.2 years female: 34.2 years (2008 est.) |
|
Population growth rate:
|
| 0.732% (2008 est.) |
|
Birth rate:
|
| 14.61 births/1,000 population (2008 est.) |
|
Death rate:
|
| 7.29 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.) |
|
Net migration rate:
|
| NA (2008 est.) |
|
Sex ratio:
|
|
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.57 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2008 est.) |
|
Infant mortality rate:
|
|
total: 21.86 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 23.46 deaths/1,000 live births female: 20.18 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.) |
|
Life expectancy at birth:
|
|
total population: 72.2 years
male: 69.45 years female: 75.08 years (2008 est.) |
|
Total fertility rate:
|
| 2 children born/woman (2008 est.) |
|
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
|
| NA |
|
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
|
| NA |
|
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
|
| NA |
|
Nationality:
|
|
noun: Korean(s)
adjective: Korean |
|
Ethnic groups:
|
| racially homogeneous; there is a small Chinese community and a few ethnic Japanese |
|
Religions:
|
|
traditionally Buddhist and Confucianist, some Christian and syncretic Chondogyo (Religion of the Heavenly Way)
note: autonomous religious activities now almost nonexistent; government-sponsored religious groups exist to provide illusion of religious freedom |
|
Languages:
|
| Korean |
|
Literacy:
|
|
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% |
|
Education expenditures:
|
| NA |
| Government | Korea, North |
|
Country name:
|
|
conventional long form: Democratic People's Republic of Korea
conventional short form: North Korea local long form: Choson-minjujuui-inmin-konghwaguk local short form: Choson abbreviation: DPRK |
|
Government type:
|
| Communist state one-man dictatorship |
|
Capital:
|
|
name: Pyongyang
geographic coordinates: 39 01 N, 125 45 E time difference: UTC+9 (14 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
|
Administrative divisions:
|
|
9 provinces (do, singular and plural) and 4 municipalities (si, singular and plural)
provinces: Chagang-do (Chagang), Hamgyong-bukto (North Hamgyong), Hamgyong-namdo (South Hamgyong), Hwanghae-bukto (North Hwanghae), Hwanghae-namdo (South Hwanghae), Kangwon-do (Kangwon), P'yongan-bukto (North P'yongan), P'yongan-namdo (South P'yongan), Yanggang-do (Yanggang) municipalities: Kaesong-si (Kaesong), Najin Sonbong-si (Najin-Sonbong), Namp'o-si (Namp'o), P'yongyang-si (Pyongyang) |
|
Independence:
|
| 15 August 1945 (from Japan) |
|
National holiday:
|
| Founding of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), 9 September (1948) |
|
Constitution:
|
| adopted 1948; completely revised 27 December 1972, revised again in April 1992, and September 1998 |
|
Legal system:
|
| based on Prussian civil law system with Japanese influences and Communist legal theory; no judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
|
Suffrage:
|
| 17 years of age; universal |
|
Executive branch:
|
|
chief of state: KIM Jong Il (since July 1994); note - on 3 September 2003, rubberstamp Supreme People's Assembly (SPA) reelected KIM Jong Il chairman of the National Defense Commission, a position accorded nation's "highest administrative authority"; SPA reelected KIM Yong Nam president of its Presidium also with responsibility of representing state and receiving diplomatic credentials
head of government: Premier KIM Yong Il (since 11 April 2007); Vice Premiers KWAK Pom Gi (since 5 September 1998), JON Sung Hun (since 3 September 2003), RO Tu Chol (since 3 September 2003), THAE Jong Su (since 16 October 2007) cabinet: Naegak (cabinet) members, except for Minister of People's Armed Forces, are appointed by SPA elections: last held in September 2003 (next to be held in September 2008) election results: KIM Jong Il and KIM Yong Nam were only nominees for positions and ran unopposed |
|
Legislative branch:
|
|
unicameral Supreme People's Assembly or Ch'oego Inmin Hoeui (687 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 3 August 2003 (next to be held in August 2008) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; ruling party approves a list of candidates who are elected without opposition; some seats are held by minor parties |
|
Judicial branch:
|
| Central Court (judges are elected by the Supreme People's Assembly) |
|
Political parties and leaders:
|
| major party - Korean Workers' Party or KWP [KIM Jong Il]; minor parties - Chondoist Chongu Party [RYU Mi Yong] (under KWP control), Social Democratic Party [KIM Yong Dae] (under KWP control) |
|
Political pressure groups and leaders:
|
| none |
|
International organization participation:
|
| ARF, FAO, G-77, ICAO, ICRM, IFAD, IFRCS, IHO, IMO, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, NAM, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO |
|
Diplomatic representation in the US:
|
| none; North Korea has a Permanent Mission to the UN in New York |
|
Diplomatic representation from the US:
|
| none; note - Swedish Embassy in Pyongyang represents the US as consular protecting power |
|
Flag description:
|
| three horizontal bands of blue (top), red (triple width), and blue; the red band is edged in white; on the hoist side of the red band is a white disk with a red five-pointed star |
| Economy | Korea, North |
|
Economy - overview:
|
| North Korea, one of the world's most centrally directed and least open economies, faces chronic economic problems. Industrial capital stock is nearly beyond repair as a result of years of underinvestment and shortages of spare parts. Industrial and power output have declined in parallel from pre-1990 levels. Due in part to severe summer flooding followed by dry weather conditions in the fall of 2006, the nation suffered its 13th year of food shortages because of on-going systemic problems including a lack of arable land, collective farming practices, and persistent shortages of tractors and fuel. During the summer of 2007, severe flooding again occurred. Large-scale international food aid deliveries have allowed the people of North Korea to escape widespread starvation since famine threatened in 1995, but the population continues to suffer from prolonged malnutrition and poor living conditions. Large-scale military spending draws off resources needed for investment and civilian consumption. Since 2002, the government has formalized an arrangement whereby private "farmers' markets" were allowed to begin selling a wider range of goods. It also permitted some private farming on an experimental basis in an effort to boost agricultural output. In October 2005, the government tried to reverse some of these policies by forbidding private sales of grains and reinstituting a centralized food rationing system. By December 2005, the government terminated most international humanitarian assistance operations in North Korea (calling instead for developmental assistance only) and restricted the activities of remaining international and non-governmental aid organizations such as the World Food Program. External food aid now comes primarily from China and South Korea in the form of grants and long-term concessional loans. During the October 2007 summit, South Korea also agreed to develop some of North Korea's infrastructure and natural resources and light industry. Firm political control remains the Communist government's overriding concern, which will likely inhibit the loosening of economic regulations. |
|
GDP (purchasing power parity):
|
|
$40 billion
note: North Korea does not publish any reliable National Income Accounts data; the datum shown here is derived from purchasing power parity (PPP) GDP estimates for North Korea that were made by Angus MADDISON in a study conducted for the OECD; his figure for 1999 was extrapolated to 2007 using estimated real growth rates for North Korea's GDP and an inflation factor based on the US GDP deflator; the result was rounded to the nearest $10 billion (2007 est.) |
|
GDP (official exchange rate):
|
| $25.96 billion (2007 est.) |
|
GDP - real growth rate:
|
| -1.1% (2007 est.) |
|
GDP - per capita (PPP):
|
| $1,700 (2007 est.) |
|
GDP - composition by sector:
|
|
agriculture: 23.3%
industry: 43.1% services: 33.6% (2002 est.) |
|
Labor force:
|
|
20 million
note: estimates vary widely (2004 est.) |
|
Labor force - by occupation:
|
|
agriculture: 37%
industry and services: 63% (2004 est.) |
|
Unemployment rate:
|
| NA% |
|
Population below poverty line:
|
| NA% |
|
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
|
|
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
|
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
|
| NA% |
|
Budget:
|
|
revenues: $2.88 billion $NA
expenditures: $2.98 billion $NA |
|
Agriculture - products:
|
| rice, corn, potatoes, soybeans, pulses; cattle, pigs, pork, eggs |
|
Industries:
|
| military products; machine building, electric power, chemicals; mining (coal, iron ore, limestone, magnesite, graphite, copper, zinc, lead, and precious metals), metallurgy; textiles, food processing; tourism |
|
Industrial production growth rate:
|
| NA% |
|
Electricity - production:
|
| 22.5 billion kWh (2006 est.) |
|
Electricity - consumption:
|
| 18.57 billion kWh (2005) |
|
Electricity - exports:
|
| 0 kWh (2007) |
|
Electricity - imports:
|
| 0 kWh (2007) |
|
Oil - production:
|
| 141 bbl/day (2005 est.) |
|
Oil - consumption:
|
| 10,520 bbl/day (2006) |
|
Oil - exports:
|
| 0 bbl/day (2006) |
|
Oil - imports:
|
| 10,520 bbl/day (2006 est.) |
|
Oil - proved reserves:
|
| NA bbl |
|
Natural gas - production:
|
| 0 cu m (2007 est.) |
|
Natural gas - consumption:
|
| 0 cu m (2007 est.) |
|
Natural gas - exports:
|
| 0 cu m (2007 est.) |
|
Natural gas - imports:
|
| 0 cu m (2007) |
|
Natural gas - proved reserves:
|
| 0 cu m (1 January 2007) |
|
Exports:
|
| $1.466 billion f.o.b. (2006) |
|
Exports - commodities:
|
| minerals, metallurgical products, manufactures (including armaments), textiles, agricultural and fishery products |
|
Exports - partners:
|
| China 31.4%, Venezuela 14.8%, Brazil 6.8%, Lebanon 4.8% (2006) |
|
Imports:
|
| $2.879 billion c.i.f. (2006) |
|
Imports - commodities:
|
| petroleum, coking coal, machinery and equipment, textiles, grain |
|
Imports - partners:
|
| China 43.6%, Algeria 11.9%, Russia 7.1%, Thailand 5.6%, South Africa 4.3% (2006) |
|
Economic aid - recipient:
|
|
$372 million
note: approximately 65,000 metric tons in food aid through the World Food Program appeals in 2007, plus additional aid from bilateral donors and non-governmental organizations (2007 est.) |
|
Debt - external:
|
| $12.5 billion (2001 est.) |
|
Currency (code):
|
| North Korean won (KPW) |
|
Exchange rates:
|
| official: North Korean won per US dollar - 140 (2007), 141 (2006), 170 (December 2004), market: North Korean won per US dollar - 2,500-3,000 (December 2006) |
|
Fiscal year:
|
| calendar year |
| Communications | Korea, North |
|
Telephones - main lines in use:
|
| 1.18 million (2007) |
|
Telephone system:
|
|
general assessment: inadequate system; currently no mobile cellular telephone services
domestic: fiber-optic links installed between cities; telephone directories unavailable; mobile cellular service, initiated in 2002, terminated in 2004; in January 2008 Orascom Telecom, an Egyptian company, announced that it had been granted a commercial license to provide mobile telephone services in North Korea international: country code - 850; satellite earth stations - 2 (1 Intelsat - Indian Ocean, 1 Russian - Indian Ocean region); other international connections through Moscow and Beijing (2008) |
|
Radio broadcast stations:
|
| AM 17 (including 11 stations of Korean Central Broadcasting Station; North Korea has a "national intercom" cable radio station wired throughout the country that is a significant source of information for the average North Korean citizen; it is wired into most residences and workplaces and carries news and commentary), FM 14, shortwave 14 (2006) |
|
Television broadcast stations:
|
| 4 (includes Korean Central Television, Mansudae Television, Korean Educational and Cultural Network, and Kaesong Television targeting South Korea) (2003) |
|
Internet country code:
|
| .kp |
|
Internet users:
|
| NA |
| Transportation | Korea, North |
|
Airports:
|
| 77 (2007) |
|
Airports - with paved runways:
|
|
total: 36
over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 22 1,524 to 2,437 m: 8 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 3 (2007) |
|
Airports - with unpaved runways:
|
|
total: 41
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 19 914 to 1,523 m: 13 under 914 m: 7 (2007) |
|
Heliports:
|
| 23 (2007) |
|
Pipelines:
|
| oil 154 km (2007) |
|
Railways:
|
|
total: 5,235 km
standard gauge: 5,235 km 1.435-m gauge (3,500 km electrified) (2006) |
|
Roadways:
|
|
total: 25,554 km
paved: 724 km unpaved: 24,830 km (2006) |
|
Waterways:
|
| 2,250 km (most navigable only by small craft) (2007) |
|
Merchant marine:
|
|
total: 163 ships (1000 GRT or over) 790,427 GRT/1,153,404 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 11, cargo 123, carrier 1, chemical tanker 1, container 3, passenger/cargo 3, petroleum tanker 16, refrigerated cargo 4, roll on/roll off 1 foreign-owned: 19 (Egypt 1, Greece 2, Lebanon 1, Lithuania 1, Pakistan 1, Romania 4, Syria 2, UAE 5, Yemen 2) registered in other countries: 1 (Mongolia 1) (2008) |
|
Ports and terminals:
|
| Ch'ongjin, Haeju, Hungnam (Hamhung), Kimch'aek, Kosong, Najin, Namp'o, Sinuiju, Songnim, Sonbong (formerly Unggi), Ungsang, Wonsan |
| Military | Korea, North |
|
Military branches:
|
| North Korean People's Army: Ground Forces, Navy, Air Force; civil security forces (2005) |
|
Military service age and obligation:
|
| 17 years of age (2004) |
|
Manpower available for military service:
|
|
males age 16-49: 6,225,747
females age 16-49: 6,188,270 (2008 est.) |
|
Manpower fit for military service:
|
|
males age 16-49: 5,141,240
females age 16-49: 5,139,447 (2008 est.) |
|
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
|
|
male: 199,628
female: 192,388 (2008 est.) |
|
Military expenditures:
|
| NA |
| Transnational Issues | Korea, North |
|
Disputes - international:
|
| risking arrest, imprisonment, and deportation, tens of thousands of North Koreans cross into China to escape famine, economic privation, and political oppression; North Korea and China dispute the sovereignty of certain islands in Yalu and Tumen rivers; Military Demarcation Line within the 4-km wide Demilitarized Zone has separated North from South Korea since 1953; periodic incidents in the Yellow Sea with South Korea which claims the Northern Limiting Line as a maritime boundary; North Korea supports South Korea in rejecting Japan's claim to Liancourt Rocks (Tok-do/Take-shima) |
|
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
|
| IDPs: undetermined (flooding in mid-2007 and famine during mid-1990s) (2007) |
|
Trafficking in persons:
|
|
current situation: North Korea is a source country for men, women, and children trafficked for the purposes of forced labor and commercial sexual exploitation; the most common form of trafficking involves North Korean women and girls who cross the border into China voluntarily; additionally, North Korean women and girls are lured out of North Korea to escape poor social and economic conditions by the promise of food, jobs, and freedom, only to be forced into prostitution, marriage, or exploitative labor arrangements once in China
tier rating: Tier 3 - North Korea does not fully comply with minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so; the government does not acknowledge the existence of human rights abuses in the country or recognize trafficking, either within the country or transnationally; North Korea has not ratified the 2000 UN TIP Protocol (2008) |
|
Illicit drugs:
|
| for years, from the 1970s into the 2000s, citizens of the Democratic People's Republic of (North) Korea (DPRK), many of them diplomatic employees of the government, were apprehended abroad while trafficking in narcotics, including two in Turkey in December 2004; police investigations in Taiwan and Japan in recent years have linked North Korea to large illicit shipments of heroin and methamphetamine, including an attempt by the North Korean merchant ship Pong Su to deliver 150 kg of heroin to Australia in April 2003 |
| Introduction | Korea, South |
|
Background:
|
| An independent Korean state or collection of states has existed almost continuously for several millennia. Between its initial unification in the 7th century - from three predecessor Korean states - until the 20th century, Korea existed as a single independent country. In 1905, following the Russo-Japanese War, Korea became a protectorate of imperial Japan, and in 1910 it was annexed as a colony. Korea regained its independence following Japan's surrender to the United States in 1945. After World War II, a Republic of Korea (ROK) was set up in the southern half of the Korean Peninsula while a Communist-style government was installed in the north (the DPRK). During the Korean War (1950-53), US troops and UN forces fought alongside soldiers from the ROK to defend South Korea from DPRK attacks supported by China and the Soviet Union. An armistice was signed in 1953, splitting the peninsula along a demilitarized zone at about the 38th parallel. Thereafter, South Korea achieved rapid economic growth with per capita income rising to roughly 14 times the level of North Korea. In 1993, KIM Young-sam became South Korea's first civilian president following 32 years of military rule. South Korea today is a fully functioning modern democracy. In June 2000, a historic first North-South summit took place between the South's President KIM Dae-jung and the North's leader KIM Jong Il. In October 2007, a second North-South summit took place between the South's President ROH Moo-hyun and the North Korean leader. |
| Geography | Korea, South |
|
Location:
|
| Eastern Asia, southern half of the Korean Peninsula bordering the Sea of Japan and the Yellow Sea |
|
Geographic coordinates:
|
| 37 00 N, 127 30 E |
|
Map references:
|
| Asia |
|
Area:
|
|
total: 98,480 sq km
land: 98,190 sq km water: 290 sq km |
|
Area - comparative:
|
| slightly larger than Indiana |
|
Land boundaries:
|
|
total: 238 km
border countries: North Korea 238 km |
|
Coastline:
|
| 2,413 km |
|
Maritime claims:
|
|
territorial sea: 12 nm; between 3 nm and 12 nm in the Korea Strait
contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: not specified |
|
Climate:
|
| temperate, with rainfall heavier in summer than winter |
|
Terrain:
|
| mostly hills and mountains; wide coastal plains in west and south |
|
Elevation extremes:
|
|
lowest point: Sea of Japan 0 m
highest point: Halla-san 1,950 m |
|
Natural resources:
|
| coal, tungsten, graphite, molybdenum, lead, hydropower potential |
|
Land use:
|
|
arable land: 16.58%
permanent crops: 2.01% other: 81.41% (2005) |
|
Irrigated land:
|
| 8,780 sq km (2003) |
|
Total renewable water resources:
|
| 69.7 cu km (1999) |
|
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
|
|
total: 18.59 cu km/yr (36%/16%/48%)
per capita: 389 cu m/yr (2000) |
|
Natural hazards:
|
| occasional typhoons bring high winds and floods; low-level seismic activity common in southwest |
|
Environment - current issues:
|
| air pollution in large cities; acid rain; water pollution from the discharge of sewage and industrial effluents; drift net fishing |
|
Environment - international agreements:
|
|
party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
|
Geography - note:
|
| strategic location on Korea Strait |
| People | Korea, South |
|
Population:
|
| 48,379,392 (July 2008 est.) |
|
Age structure:
|
|
0-14 years: 17.4% (male 4,431,315/female 4,004,810)
15-64 years: 72% (male 17,760,975/female 17,095,436) 65 years and over: 10.5% (male 2,030,931/female 3,055,925) (2008 est.) |
|
Median age:
|
|
total: 36.7 years
male: 35.5 years female: 37.9 years (2008 est.) |
|
Population growth rate:
|
| 0.269% (2008 est.) |
|
Birth rate:
|
| 9.09 births/1,000 population (2008 est.) |
|
Death rate:
|
| 5.73 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.) |
|
Net migration rate:
|
| NA (2008 est.) |
|
Sex ratio:
|
|
at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.11 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.66 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2008 est.) |
|
Infant mortality rate:
|
|
total: 4.29 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 4.52 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.04 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.) |
|
Life expectancy at birth:
|
|
total population: 78.64 years
male: 75.34 years female: 82.17 years (2008 est.) |
|
Total fertility rate:
|
| 1.2 children born/woman (2008 est.) |
|
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
|
| less than 0.1% (2003 est.) |
|
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
|
| 8,300 (2003 est.) |
|
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
|
| fewer than 200 (2003 est.) |
|
Nationality:
|
|
noun: Korean(s)
adjective: Korean |
|
Ethnic groups:
|
| homogeneous (except for about 20,000 Chinese) |
|
Religions:
|
| Christian 26.3% (Protestant 19.7%, Roman Catholic 6.6%), Buddhist 23.2%, other or unknown 1.3%, none 49.3% (1995 census) |
|
Languages:
|
| Korean, English widely taught in junior high and high school |
|
Literacy:
|
|
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97.9% male: 99.2% female: 96.6% (2002) |
|
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
|
|
total: 17 years
male: 18 years female: 15 years (2007) |
|
Education expenditures:
|
| 4.6% of GDP (2004) |
| Government | Korea, South |
|
Country name:
|
|
conventional long form: Republic of Korea
conventional short form: South Korea local long form: Taehan-min'guk local short form: Han'guk abbreviation: ROK |
|
Government type:
|
| republic |
|
Capital:
|
|
name: Seoul
geographic coordinates: 37 33 N, 126 59 E time difference: UTC+9 (14 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
|
Administrative divisions:
|
|
9 provinces (do, singular and plural) and 7 metropolitan cities (gwangyoksi, singular and plural)
provinces: Cheju-do, Cholla-bukto (North Cholla), Cholla-namdo (South Cholla), Ch'ungch'ong-bukto (North Ch'ungch'ong), Ch'ungch'ong-namdo (South Ch'ungch'ong), Kangwon-do, Kyonggi-do, Kyongsang-bukto (North Kyongsang), Kyongsang-namdo (South Kyongsang) metropolitan cities: Inch'on-gwangyoksi (Inch'on), Kwangju-gwangyoksi (Kwangju), Pusan-gwangyoksi (Pusan), Soul-t'ukpyolsi (Seoul), Taegu-gwangyoksi (Taegu), Taejon-gwangyoksi (Taejon), Ulsan-gwangyoksi (Ulsan) |
|
Independence:
|
| 15 August 1945 (from Japan) |
|
National holiday:
|
| Liberation Day, 15 August (1945) |
|
Constitution:
|
| 17 July 1948; note - amended or rewritten nine times; current constitution approved on 29 October 1987 |
|
Legal system:
|
| combines elements of continental European civil law systems, Anglo-American law, and Chinese classical thought; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
|
Suffrage:
|
| 19 years of age; universal |
|
Executive branch:
|
|
chief of state: President LEE Myung-bak (since 25 February 2008)
head of government: Prime Minister HAN Seung-soo (since 29 February 2008) cabinet: State Council appointed by the president on the prime minister's recommendation elections: president elected by popular vote for a single five-year term; election last held 19 December 2007 (next to be held on in December 2012); prime minister appointed by president with consent of National Assembly; deputy prime ministers appointed by president on prime minister's recommendation election results: ROH Moo-hyun elected president on 19 December 2002; percent of vote - ROH Moo-hyun (MDP) 48.9%; LEE Hoi-chang (GNP) 46.6%; others 4.5%; LEE Myung-bak elected president on 19 December 2007; percent of vote - LEE Myung-bak (GNP) 48.7%; CHUNG Dong-young (UNDP) 26.1%); LEE Hoi-chang (independent) 15.1; others 10.1% |
|
Legislative branch:
|
|
unicameral National Assembly or Kukhoe (299 seats; 243 members elected in single-seat constituencies, 56 elected by proportional representation; to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 9 April 2008 (next to be held in April 2012) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - GNP 153, UDP 81, LFP 18, Pro-Park Alliance 14, DLP 5, CKP 3, independents 25 |
|
Judicial branch:
|
| Supreme Court (justices appointed by the president with consent of National Assembly); Constitutional Court (justices appointed by the president based partly on nominations by National Assembly and Chief Justice of the court) |
|
Political parties and leaders:
|
| Creative Korea Party or CKP [MOON Kook-hyun]; Democratic Labor Party or DLP [CHUN Young-se]; Grand National Party or GNP [PARK Hee-tae]; Liberty Forward Party or LFP [LEE Hoi-chang]; Democratic Party or DP [CHUNG Sye-kyun] (formerly the United Democratic Party or UDP) |
|
Political pressure groups and leaders:
|
| Federation of Korean Industries; Federation of Korean Trade Unions; Korean Confederation of Trade Unions; Korean National Council of Churches; Korean Traders Association; Korean Veterans' Association; National Council of Labor Unions; National Democratic Alliance of Korea; National Federation of Farmers' Associations; National Federation of Student Associations |
|
International organization participation:
|
| ADB, AfDB (nonregional members), APEC, APT, ARF, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS, CP, EAS, EBRD, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAIA, MIGA, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE (partner), PCA, PIF (partner), SAARC (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNMOGIP, UNOMIG, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC |
|
Diplomatic representation in the US:
|
|
chief of mission: Ambassador LEE Tae-sik
chancery: 2450 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 939-5600 FAX: [1] (202) 387-0205 consulate(s) general: Agana (Guam), Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Honolulu, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Seattle |
|
Diplomatic representation from the US:
|
|
chief of mission: Ambassador Kathleen STEPHENS
embassy: 32 Sejong-no, Jongno-gu, Seoul 110-710 mailing address: US Embassy Seoul, APO AP 96205-5550 telephone: [82] (2) 397-4114 FAX: [82] (2) 738-8845 |
|
Flag description:
|
| white with a red (top) and blue yin-yang symbol in the center; there is a different black trigram from the ancient I Ching (Book of Changes) in each corner of the white field |
| Economy | Korea, South |
|
Economy - overview:
|
| Since the 1960s, South Korea has achieved an incredible record of growth and integration into the high-tech modern world economy. Four decades ago, GDP per capita was comparable with levels in the poorer countries of Africa and Asia. In 2004, South Korea joined the trillion dollar club of world economies. Today its GDP per capita is roughly the same as that of Greece and Spain. This success was achieved by a system of close government/business ties including directed credit, import restrictions, sponsorship of specific industries, and a strong labor effort. The government promoted the import of raw materials and technology at the expense of consumer goods and encouraged savings and investment over consumption. The Asian financial crisis of 1997-98 exposed longstanding weaknesses in South Korea's development model including high debt/equity ratios, massive foreign borrowing, and an undisciplined financial sector. GDP plunged by 6.9% in 1998, then recovered by 9.5% in 1999 and 8.5% in 2000. Growth fell back to 3.3% in 2001 because of the slowing global economy, falling exports, and the perception that much-needed corporate and financial reforms had stalled. Led by consumer spending and exports, growth in 2002 was an impressive 7%, despite anemic global growth. Between 2003 and 2007, growth moderated to about 4-5% annually. A downturn in consumer spending was offset by rapid export growth. Moderate inflation, low unemployment, and an export surplus in 2007 characterize this solid economy, but inflation and unemployment are increasing in the face of rising oil prices. |
|
GDP (purchasing power parity):
|
| $1.206 trillion (2007 est.) |
|
GDP (official exchange rate):
|
| $957.1 billion (2007 est.) |
|
GDP - real growth rate:
|
| 5% (2007 est.) |
|
GDP - per capita (PPP):
|
| $25,000 (2007 est.) |
|
GDP - composition by sector:
|
|
agriculture: 3%
industry: 39.4% services: 57.6% (2007 est.) |
|
Labor force:
|
| 24.22 million (2007 est.) |
|
Labor force - by occupation:
|
|
agriculture: 7.5%
industry: 17.3% services: 75.2% (2007) |
|
Unemployment rate:
|
| 3.3% (2007 est.) |
|
Population below poverty line:
|
| 15% (2003 est.) |
|
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
|
|
lowest 10%: 2.9%
highest 10%: 25% (2005 est.) |
|
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
|
| 35.1 (2006) |
|
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
|
| 2.5% (2007 est.) |
|
Investment (gross fixed):
|
| 28.8% of GDP (2007 est.) |
|
Budget:
|
|
revenues: $262.2 billion
expenditures: $225.8 billion (2007 est.) |
|
Public debt:
|
| 28.2% of GDP (2007 est.) |
|
Agriculture - products:
|
| rice, root crops, barley, vegetables, fruit; cattle, pigs, chickens, milk, eggs; fish |
|
Industries:
|
| electronics, telecommunications, automobile production, chemicals, shipbuilding, steel |
|
Industrial production growth rate:
|
| 5.5% (2007 est.) |
|
Electricity - production:
|
| 403.2 billion kWh (2007) |
|
Electricity - consumption:
|
| 368.6 billion kWh (2007) |
|
Electricity - exports:
|
| 0 kWh (2005) |
|
Electricity - imports:
|
| 0 kWh (2005) |
|
Oil - production:
|
| 17,050 bbl/day (2005) |
|
Oil - consumption:
|
| 2.13 million bbl/day (2006) |
|
Oil - exports:
|
| NA bbl/day |
|
Oil - imports:
|
| 2.41 million bbl/day (2006) |
|
Oil - proved reserves:
|
| 0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.) |
|
Natural gas - production:
|
| 1.66 billion cu m (2006) |
|
Natural gas - consumption:
|
| 34.2 billion cu m (2006) |
|
Natural gas - exports:
|
| 2,450 cu m (2006) |
|
Natural gas - imports:
|
| 35.86 billion cu m (2006) |
|
Natural gas - proved reserves:
|
| 0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.) |
|
Current account balance:
|
| $5.954 billion (2007 est.) |
|
Exports:
|
| $379 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.) |
|
Exports - commodities:
|
| semiconductors, wireless telecommunications equipment, motor vehicles, computers, steel, ships, petrochemicals |
|
Exports - partners:
|
| China 26.2%, US 12.4%, Japan 6.9%, Taiwan 4.1% (2007) |
|
Imports:
|
| $349.6 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.) |
|
Imports - commodities:
|
| machinery, electronics and electronic equipment, oil, steel, transport equipment, organic chemicals, plastics |
|
Imports - partners:
|
| China 16.9%, Japan 16.3%, US 10.4%, Saudi Arabia 6.2% (2007) |
|
Economic aid - donor:
|
| ODA, $455.3 million (2006) |
|
Economic aid - recipient:
|
| $68.07 million (2004) |
|
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
|
| $262.2 billion (31 December 2007) |
|
Debt - external:
|
| $220.1 billion (31 December 2007) |
|
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
|
| $119.6 billion (2007 est.) |
|
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
|
| $82.1 billion (2006) |
|
Market value of publicly traded shares:
|
| $1.051 trillion (2007) |
|
Currency (code):
|
| South Korean won (KRW) |
|
Exchange rates:
|
| South Korean won per US dollar - 929.2 (2007), 954.8 (2006), 1,024.1 (2005), 1,145.3 (2004), 1,191.6 (2003) |
|
Fiscal year:
|
| calendar year |
| Communications | Korea, South |
|
Telephones - main lines in use:
|
| 23.905 million (2007) |
|
Telephones - mobile cellular:
|
| 43.5 million (2007) |
|
Telephone system:
|
|
general assessment: excellent domestic and international services featuring rapid incorporation of new technologies
domestic: combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular telephone subscribership exceeds 140 per 100 persons; rapid assimilation of a full range of telecommunications technologies leading to a boom in e-commerce international: country code - 82; numerous submarine cables provide links throughout Asia, Australia, the Middle East, Europe, and US; satellite earth stations - 6 (3 Intelsat - 1 Pacific Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean, 3 Inmarsat - 1 Pacific Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean) |
|
Radio broadcast stations:
|
| AM 61, FM 150, shortwave 2 (2005) |
|
Television broadcast stations:
|
| 43 (plus 59 cable operators and 190 relay cable operators) (2005) |
|
Internet country code:
|
| .kr |
|
Internet hosts:
|
| 315,537 (2007) |
|
Internet users:
|
| 35.59 million (2007) |
| Transportation | Korea, South |
|
Airports:
|
| 105 (2007) |
|
Airports - with paved runways:
|
|
total: 68
over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 21 1,524 to 2,437 m: 14 914 to 1,523 m: 11 under 914 m: 19 (2007) |
|
Airports - with unpaved runways:
|
|
total: 37
914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 34 (2007) |
|
Heliports:
|
| 536 (2007) |
|
Pipelines:
|
| gas 1,482 km; refined products 827 km (2007) |
|
Railways:
|
|
total: 3,472 km
standard gauge: 3,472 km 1.435-m gauge (1,342 km electrified) (2006) |
|
Roadways:
|
|
total: 102,293 km
paved: 78,581 km (includes 3,060 km of expressways) unpaved: 23,712 km (2005) |
|
Waterways:
|
| 1,608 km (most navigable only by small craft) (2007) |
|
Merchant marine:
|
|
total: 804 ships (1000 GRT or over) 12,632,019 GRT/20,764,152 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 204, cargo 218, carrier 2, chemical tanker 131, container 83, liquefied gas 32, passenger 5, passenger/cargo 24, petroleum tanker 65, refrigerated cargo 19, roll on/roll off 9, specialized tanker 5, vehicle carrier 7 foreign-owned: 15 (Japan 3, Norway 4, UK 1, US 7) registered in other countries: 384 (Belize 1, Cambodia 23, China 1, Cyprus 2, Honduras 6, Hong Kong 5, Kiribati 2, Liberia 3, Malta 6, Marshall Islands 10, Netherlands 1, Panama 311, Russia 1, Singapore 8, Tuvalu 1, unknown 3) (2008) |
|
Ports and terminals:
|
| Inch'on, P'ohang, Pusan, Ulsan |
| Military | Korea, South |
|
Military branches:
|
| Republic of Korea Army, Navy (includes Marine Corps), Air Force (2008) |
|
Military service age and obligation:
|
| 20-30 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation - 24-28 months, depending on the military branch involved (to be reduced to 18 months beginning 2016); 18 years of age for voluntary military service; women, in service since 1950, admitted to 7 service branches, including infantry, but excluded from artillery, armor, anti-air, and chaplaincy corps; some 4,000 women serve as commissioned and noncommissioned officers, approx. 2.3% of all officers (2007) |
|
Manpower available for military service:
|
|
males age 16-49: 13,691,809
females age 16-49: 13,029,859 (2008 est.) |
|
Manpower fit for military service:
|
|
males age 16-49: 11,282,699
females age 16-49: 10,683,668 (2008 est.) |
|
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
|
|
male: 371,108
female: 325,408 (2008 est.) |
|
Military expenditures:
|
| 2.7% of GDP (2006) |
| Transnational Issues | Korea, South |
|
Disputes - international:
|
| Military Demarcation Line within the 4-km wide Demilitarized Zone has separated North from South Korea since 1953; periodic incidents with North Korea in the Yellow Sea over the Northern Limiting Line, which South Korea claims as a maritime boundary; South Korea and Japan claim Liancourt Rocks (Tok-do/Take-shima), occupied by South Korea since 1954 |
| Home | About us | Penpals for students | Countries of the World | Schools of the World | Games | Blogs | Clubs | Forums | Links |